82 HARVESTING THE CANE. 
office. Unlike what commonly occurs, vitality seems to 
linger longer in the leaves than in any other organs; long 
after the contents of the cells have undergone their final 
transformation, and the seeds have matured. Oxidation 
does not occur as early as in the leaves of most plants, 
and consequently they retain for a time their green color 
and vigor. 
The proper time, therefore, to remove the leaves is 
during the few days immediately subsequent to the ripening 
of the seed and the full maturity of the juice. The seed 
is then hard, the husk (glume) has received the full depth 
of color natural to it (very dark purple or black in the 
Chinese cane and Oom-see-a-na, and various shades of 
purple, red, and yellow in other varieties), the panicles 
(seed heads) begin to spread and droop, and the stalk is 
more or less yellow or orange colored, according to the 
variety. The blades at that period are almost as green 
as in midsummer, and their nutritive qualities as forage 
for horses and cattle are then unimpaired, and if properly 
cured, they are fully equal, ton for ton, to good hay, and 
are eaten with even more avidity. The blades and seed, 
if taken care of, will generally repay the whole cost of 
cultivation, Of the former, half a ton, and of the latter, 
thirty bushels, is an average yield per acre. 
In a mature state, the Chinese cane, if not exposed to 
severe frosts, may be allowed to remain in the field uncut, 
after being stripped, for a few days without injury. Some 
of the later ripening imphees, however, will not bear this 
treatment, and soon become sour; a condition to which the 
Chinese cane, when unripe, is subject under similar cireum- 
stances. 
The importance of stripping off the blades before the 
cane is cut, will be found to consist chiefly in the saving of 
alarge amount of excellent fodder, and in an economical 
